Wanna perfect your French kissing technique?, or just want the basics on how to kiss for the first time? Follow these kissing tips the next time you’re ready to smooch.

Wanna perfect your French kissing technique? , or just want the basics on how to kiss for the first time? Follow these kissing tips the next time you’re ready to smooch.

1. Find the Right Time to Kiss

The best time for a first kiss is when you’re alone, there’s a pause in the conversation and you’re both looking into each others eyes. Help make this moment happen by finding a way to get away from the crowd, standing or sitting close to your partner, making eye contact and letting the convey come to a natural breaking point. You’ll both know when the moment is right.

2. Don’t Obsess About Your Breath

Your breath doesn’t need to be any more minty fresh than your kissing partner’s. (For instance, if you both just had dinner together and ate equally garlicky meals, you’ll be fine.) Bring some mints with you, but don’t pop them obsessively. It’s not necessary and it’ll make you look over-eager.

The first thing that comes to mind when you think about french kissing is tongue, but that shouldn’t come right away – you’ll have to ease into it. Start just by lightly kissing their lips (either their top lip, their bottom lip or both) with yours.

4. Don’t Make Your Tongue the Star of the Show

A kiss without any tongue at all is perfectly fine. But if you want to take it to the next level, open your mouth a little wider, gently touch your tongue against theirs, and let the tips of your tongues “play around” together. Don’t do much more than that, though. When it comes to tongue, a little goes a long way.

5. Use Your Hands Wisely

The best spots to place your hands are around your partner’s neck or waist, on the back of your partner’s head, or if you want to be extra-romantic, against your partner’s cheeks. Never just leave them by your side! That would be a total waste.

6. Don’t Forget to Breathe

Take regular breaks to pull away and look into your partner’s eyes. It’ll give you a chance to catch your breath and share a smile.

7. Mix It Up

Don’t leave your lips or your tongue in the same spot for more than a couple of seconds. The initial excitement of a first kiss is thrilling, but things can get boring awfully quickly if you don’t vary your style a little.

8. When In Doubt, Follow Their Lead

You don’t need to be an expert on kissing to share a great kiss. If you’re not sure what to do, just let your partner take over and go with the flow. As long as the two of you like each other and are concentrating on the magic of the moment, it’ll go great.

9. It’s Okay to Laugh

You might be tempted to laugh or make a little joke to ease the tension or hide some your nervousness. Go for it. Your partner’s probably just as nervous as you are, and it’ll ease the tension for them, too.

10. Know When to End It

If this is your first time kissing this person, keep things brief. There will be plenty more chances to kiss, and you want to leave them dying to lock lips with you the next time.